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Tori MacDonald
Tori in the middle...
This site was created to inform you about TORI'S FIGHT against
Synovial Cell Sarcoma. It has been a long difficult battle for Tori.
We all have faith in God and Tori to beat this!
We love you Tori!!!
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Victoria's Journey
When you're diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that carries a guarded prognosis, you can find yourself living from miracle to miracle. So far, for 10-year-old Victoria MacDonald of Eagan, Minnesota, the miracles have come when needed, helped along by the dedicated doctors and nurses at the University of Minnesota.Victoria is the youngest of four children of Dawn and Charles MacDonald. In September 2001, she was diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma, an extremely rare cancer that develops in tissues surrounding the joints. When it was discovered, Tori's cancer was stage 4, the most advanced category. Her doctors found a five inch tumor in her right hip, as well as a tumor in each of her lungs, where the cancer had metastasized. Dr. Joe Neglia started her on three rounds of aggressive chemotherapy, to be followed by surgery to remove the tumor in her hip and three additional courses of follow-up chemo. Her mom Dawn recalls that the doctors estimated Tori had only a one in four chance of responding to the initial chemotherapy. She did respond, however, and a few days before surgery her surgeon, Dr. Denis Clohisy, made an encouraging discovery. When he pushed on the tumor he found that it moved. That meant the tumor was not attached to bone so he would be able to spare Tori's thigh bone. In January 2002, Tori underwent surgery lasting more than five hours. Along with her tumor, all four of the large muscles (quadriceps) in her right thigh were removed. She spent a month in a wheelchair and was not expected to be able to walk without a leg brace. But when she managed to walk, with a slight limp, on her own power her delighted doctors had to admit, "Tori, you keep proving us wrong!" A year later, she followed that triumph by signing up for figure skating lessons! So far, Tori has had 11 surgeries, including five to remove recurring tumors in her lungs. In addition to the surgeries and the chemo treatments she also received seven weeks of radiotherapy to lessen the chances of her cancer returning. She has suffered through severe side effects and the "infection periods" following chemo when her treatment-suppressed immune system was not able to fight off pneumonia and other illnesses. It has not been easy, for Tori or for her family. Tori is very aware that, even after all she has gone through, the prospect of long-term survival is still uncertain. "Tori made lots of friends while she was in the hospital and several of them have died," says Dawn. "She wanted to go to their funerals. She is very realistic about death and she has planned her own funeral."The MacDonalds are also planning a bright future for Tori, however. Her mom speaks matter-of-factly about the bone-lengthening surgeries and the new hip that Tori will need as she grows to adulthood. Tori herself is making plans to study marine biology and to move to Florida to become a dolphin trainer. The Make-a-Wish foundation recently granted her a wish, sending her and her family to Walt Disney World. While the MacDonalds were in Florida they also went to Discovery Cove, where Tori met the dolphin trainers and got to dance with a dolphin named Natalie. How do you dance with a dolphin? "You hold their flippers and bob up and down," she explains.
Tori's short-term plans include camping this summer at Camp Courage, where she will room with her friend Karli, whom she met at a cancer survivors' picnic. Dawn is grateful for the excellent care her daughter has received from hospital staff and for the friendships they have developed with many staff members. "We see some of the nurses outside the hospital sometimes," she notes. Tori is confident enough in the affection of her nurses that she can use it to get a laugh. During the KS95 for Kids Radiothon, she was asked if the nurse she was standing next to was her favorite. "No," she responded candidly. "She's my third-favorite!"Today, after several months of clear scans Tori is cancer-free, but she and her family must wait for years before her doctors declare her to be in remission. If her courage and love of life are any indication, that day will come. In the meantime, the little girl who blew kisses to staff and patients on the ward as she was wheeled away to surgery and who is "pretty much always smiling" has lots of people rooting for her.
**This is the story The Butterfly Magazine did about Tori.
"May you be ever present in the garden of His love.
As Jesus stepped into the garden,
you were in His prayers.
As Jesus looked into Heaven,
you were in His vision...
His final prayer was about you.
His final pain was for you.
His final passion was you."
~Max Lucado~
In the eyes of a child there is joy,
there is laughter,
there is hope,
there is trust,
a chance to shape the future.
For the lessons of love,
there is no better teacher
than to look in the eyes of a child...
~Auther unknown~
PLEASE SIGN TORI'S  TO LET HER KNOW YOU CARE!!
There are no goodbyes at The Silver Lining Foundation
In My Daughter's Eyes :: Martina McBride...
In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes
In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes
And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It's hangin' on when your heart
has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daugter's eyes
In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes
Remember Amy* by living her motto, "Never Give Up!!"
Journal
Friday, March 13, 2009 11:59 AM CDT Hi to Everyone,
Yes, we are still here, so sorry I have not added on to Tori's site for a couple of years.
Tori had her five year check up, and she is cancer clear!, we did have one scare where tissue had regrown in one of her lungs, which looked like a tumor, it was from a previous tumor site, that had been removed. But great news is she is still clear of cancer.
Also Tori was up at a cabin and her femur broke due to radiation, Dr. Clohisy drilled out the femur bone and put a steel rod from the hip to the knee to hold the leg together....it took six months for the bone to heal, we are happy it healed because they were considering a surgery that would entail donor bone to be added to the bone to promote healing. She spent her summer in a wheelchair....
She is presently in tenth grade at Burnsville High, she has many friends and is enjoying singing, she just completed a variety show where she was able to dance and sing, some solos and small groups. She was beaming from ear to ear, she loved every minute of it....She also has been going to youth group church activities...
Her number one love is the Minnesota Wild Hockey team, she is in love with them..her Dad takes her to a lot of games.
I hope you get to still check in on Tori's site....I will try and keep you posted more often....so sorry that I lacked in keeping up with her site.
Micah is attending North Central University to get his Bachelors degree done, he is a youth leader in church..
Brittany is working fulltime, and leading a girls bible study group, and is still writing music, and leading worship at her church.
Jacqueline is in music college in Iowa..
And I am presently working four jobs, and have completed my Associates Degree, A honor roll., I also have been enjoying working out and am back in shape...I hope to get one good paying job, please pray for this...thanks..
thanks for sharing tori's journey with us, we are blessed she is still with us, she is a miracle....luv, and blessings to all of you....Dawn and Tori xoxox
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: Patient Room: home I'M HOME & LOVIN' IT!!!!!!!!
 toridawn777@aol.com
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Links: http://www.medhelp.org/lib/cancernet/600061.htm Synovial Sarcoma Fact Sheet
http://www.caringbridge.org/page/amymareck/index.htm AMY'S FIGHT!!!
http://smilequilts.com/victoria.html TORI'S SMILE QUILT!!!
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